May 1, 2001
Dear Students,
New states for your migration map this week include incluyen Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia,
Maryland and Delaware. Last week's questions were designed to help you think about the direction the spring migration
from Mexico is moving.
Last week's Question #1 asked, "Assuming it flew from the sanctuaries in Mexico (19N, -100W), how many miles
did the monarch spotted in Gloucester, Virginia (37.28 N, -76.33 W) fly?"
Answer: 1903 miles (3063 km)
Last week's Question #2 asked, "If, instead of going to Virginia, that same monarch butterfly had flown the
same distance DUE NORTH from Mexico where would it be?"
Answer: Bismarck, North Dakota (46.48 N, -100.47 W)
A monarch could fly all the way to Bismarck, North Dakota if it flew 1900 miles due north from the sanctuaries.
The distance to Bismarck from the sanctuaries in Mexico to is 1917 miles (3085 km), roughly the same distance as
from Mexico to Gloucester, VA.
Why do you think the monarch migration moved to the east through the Gulf states after leaving Mexico, instead
of due north? (Teachers: Before telling the students the answer, see if they can figure it out for themselves!)
Answer: When the monarchs enter the United States in March, it is still cold and snowing in the northern states.
Therefore, the butterflies travel along the southern states first, where temperatures are warmer. There they can
find flowers (with nectar to drink) and milkweed (the plant they need to lay their eggs).
Question of the Week: Why do you think the monarchs are only in the eastern U.S. states, and not in states like
Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana?
|
Date |
City |
State |
Latitude |
Longitude |
| 30 April | Huntington | West Virginia |
38.3 |
-82.3 |
| 28 April | Manassas | Virginia |
38.8 |
-77.5 |
| 28 April | Annapolis | Maryland |
38.9 |
-77.0 |
| 27 April | Atkinson | Nebraska |
42.6 |
-99.0 |
| 24 April | Springfield | Missouri |
37.2 |
-93.3 |
| 24 April | Rock Hill | South Carolina |
34.9 |
-81.0 |
| 23 April | NewportNews | Virginia |
37.1 |
-76.5 |
| 23 April | La Grange | Kentucky |
38.3 |
-85.6 |
| 22 April | Chaptico | Maryland |
38.3 |
-76.8 |
| 22 April | Suffolk | Virginia |
36.9 |
-76.6 |
| 22 April | McClellanville | South Carolina |
33.1 |
-79.3 |
| 21 April | Burkesville | Kentucky |
36.8 |
-85.4 |
| 21 April | Valley Center | Kansas |
37.9 |
-97.3 |